A very cool fundraiser to support the Peter McVerry Trust and the Simon Communities in their work to help the homeless.
Aside from being an Oscar-winner and the frontman for one of Ireland’s most beloved bands, Glen Hansard has frequently used his profile and fame to speak about the issues he feels passionately about.
One of those issues is the escalation of the homeless crisis in Ireland and in a a new docu-gig, the singer drew on some famous friends like Gavin James, Hudson Taylor, Danny O’Reilly, and more to help raise funds for the Peter McVerry Trust and the Simon Communities.
Allow us to set the scene.
Three years ago, the lead singer of The Frames was instrumental in the Apollo House movement where Hansard, Jim Sheridan, Damien Dempsey and others in the Home Sweet Home group led an act of civil disobedience by turning the then NAMA-owned Dublin premises into a shelter for Dublin’s homeless.
Speaking about the actions taken by Home Sweet Home, Hansard said at the time: “We are involved in an act of civil disobedience. I call upon the very spirit of the Irish people to look at this, it is an illegal act. We have taken a building that essentially belongs to the people of Ireland and that has been lying empty.”
While Apollo House has since been demolished, Hansard’s passion and desire to help alleviate the homeless crisis is showing no signs of diminishing.
In an effort to help raise funds for the Peter McVerry Trust and Simon Communities, director Scott Altman presents what happened three years ago, when Dublin – and one of its most legendary music venues – closed its doors on a winter’s night, only for the mother of all impromptu sessions to unfold.
The billing of musicians that performed on the night is extremely impressive, with the likes of Danny O’Reilly, Gavin James, Hudson Taylor, Gabrielle Aplin, Stephen James Smith, Emma Wigglesworth, Mark Geary, Matthew Devereux, Eoin Glackin, Roisin O, Mundy and more all performing alongside the lead singer of The Frames.
The fly-on-the-wall live docu-gig was produced to help raise funds for Peter McVerry Trust and Simon Communities.
Viewers are encouraged to make a donation to Simon Communities or Peter McVerry Trust to help in the fight against homelessness.
Take a look at what unfolded as a litany of Irish musicians came together to do their part to raise funds for a very important issue.
Clip via Defunct Films
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